THE BADASS BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE

CHAPTER 21

"I hope I have a bowl too from the tasty." Adriana said, walking into the dining room. Her hands were full of groceries, and her face had a fake smile plastered on for her sister's sake. "I was planning to cook." She kissed Noah, who noticed the off smile but said nothing when she shook her head.

"Not here, not now." She whispered in his ears and said out loud. "Thanks, babe."

The twins were back in few minutes, looking clean. "Mom!" They shrieked, sighting their mother. They ran to their mother, who struggled to drop the groceries so she could hug them just in time. Their dad set their table, and the twins each sat down to enjoy a big bowl of macaroni cheese.

After the meal, the twins with their dad went out. The ladies stayed behind to clean up. Adriana didn't let her sister lift a finger. She set out to do the whole thing herself after propping the expecting mother on a couch. She gave her a magazine and turned the TV on. Evan let her do all the setting up without saying a word.

Nothing was interesting about lying down doing nothing. The pregnancy hadn't even been long gone yet. "I can do the dishes, you know." She complained, standing up. "I don't think the doctor said I shouldn't do a thing. I'll die of laziness at this rate." She was beside Adriana, who had already started to wash. "Let me, please." She reached for the extra sponge and proceeding to do the washing.

"Okay, but you don't move or rush." Adriana dropped her own sponge then went to get a chair. "Here, Sit."

Evan chuckled, "You're something else. Thank God you're a woman and not a man. You'd have spoiled your spouse rotten."

"It's probably because I know how it feels. I was dizzy a couple of times in my early trimester. Noah was so sweet. He did all the chores."

"I wish Jason was that excited. He hasn't called ever since that encounter with mother."

"He might have a lot to do." Adriana thought about the widower and the call she had overhead earlier. He was probably feeling guilty about it all. She couldn't tell her sister that. Instead, she said, "Or he's sad about his late wife. He wanted this with her, so I heard."

She remembered how sad it was each time she saw people who had been expecting, like her, suddenly get pregnant while she couldn't. The feeling was overwhelming terribly. Several times she couldn't step out for fear of seeing a pregnant woman and crying for hers. Jason Valdez had lost his wife for this very reason. It didn't feel right to blame him if he isn't in the euphoria of the moment. While her sister looked radiant and intoxicated, he might be overwhelmed and stuck to reliving painful memories of his wife. Folks around here claims they had loved each other dearly. "It might be his late wife. Did you reach out to him?" Jason Valdez, she was sure, would have a lot going on right now.

"I did. He wouldn't pick my call."

"Give him some time. He'll come around." Seeing her sister so sad, she changed the topic. "How do you feel, though? Excited?"

"I am. It's early yet, but I feel strange. I think my mind is trying to wrap itself around the concept that I have another being growing in me. Was this how you felt with the twins." She passed her a plate so she could rinse and place it on the rack to dry.

"Yes. Later, it becomes more than just a feeling. Your body wraps itself around it. The feeling is so exhilarating."

*******

For a while, Jason Valdez stood staring at his developers' team heads. The six looked down disappointed. He knew that was all an act. The moment he exited the room, they had scream down the roof and say mean words about him. But that didn't matter right now. All that matters were he had employed the best of them.

Each team head had up to 5-6 members of developers that they managed. Their developers were Ukraine's best. Yet somehow, they were lagging. Ukraine was known worldwide for its exceptional talent in the technological world. He had been tutored personally by some of them, and he could testify that they were really good. He expected them to be updated, but they were so into coding they hardly keep up with the world.

"At this rate, all we will be developing would be second-rated technologies." He said, slamming his fist on the table for effect. They all adjusted their seats, clearly not comfortable with his unneeded anger. He wanted them shaken up, or he feared they would be far behind by the time they wake up from their slumber.

"Koreans have managed to make good use of their AI. They use it for facial recognition, which is helpful in criminology. With that alone, do you know how many unsolved crimes can now be revisited and solved?" He looked at each of them when no one said anything. He answered his own question.

"Over 70%. The same AI is used in Korea also as an image recognition guide for impaired users. Can you believe that?" He laughed in a way that made them stare at him strangely. He continued talking regardless.

"Their guard dogs also use it to navigate and speak; so amazing. Those are genius inventions. Now, I've been hinted that they are working on self-driving cars, another masterpiece of AI imaging. Amazing, right?" Now they looked impressed. Good.

"Now, tell me again what we've been able to do with ours aside from handwriting detection, which thankfully is useful in crime detection two for suicide cases with manipulated notes?" He asked. "It's a genius invention too. We've helped solved over 50% of murder cases. Still, I want more." he sat down in his chair and asked. "Aside from that, what have we made again?" He asked. They all looked at each other for answers.

He knew he was unnecessarily harsh on them. They were the best, as far as they come. He was, however, hoping they come up with something to keep the firm busy. Something he could be engrossed with so he could dull the ache he felt. Something to help him understand why Evan's pregnancy news made him excited when he had been against it from the beginning.

He may be one of the best in the technology field, but when it came to studying his feelings, he did a terrible job of it. All through yesterday, he had been excited when Doctor Tom shared the news. Then he remembered Ellen, and he became depressed. She wanted this. This would have made her happy.

But she wasn't here. He wondered why he should be satisfied. Perhaps because Evan had been so excited? He had been at the clinic when she stepped out. Even before the doctor told him, he had known from her expression. Ellen had been that way when she first got pregnant. Then they lost the baby.

Mrs. Swiss' confrontation the other day also left him confused. If he had known she would oppose the idea, he would have dropped it. All these wouldn't be happening too. Why hadn't he thought about Evan's family and their take in all this when he decided to fulfil Ellen's absurd wish?

"I want something wow.... And I want it fast." He told his team as he took his leave. Before closing the door, he listened to their little talks. They criticized each other for not keeping up and started to bet on whose idea would impress him. He smiled at that. They were just where he wanted them to be. Hopefully, they will have something for him before the week runs out. "James." he said to his phone, "Please get in touch with Mrs. Swiss."

"Yes, boss. But she's turned us down twice already."

"Try again." He instructed. He wished she would get on board already. He hated not having control. Mrs. Swiss wasn't making things easy. He should speak with Evan. He stared at his phone, considering what to say. Nothing came to mind. He was better off showing up at her house instead. Her sister's house. He corrected. Then he remembered Adriana. She was one Swiss he could relate with. He better call her instead. She picked immediately, "Good day to you too." He smiled when she called him a soon to be father. "Can we meet?" She agreed.

*******

"Thanks for dinner." Jason said. Though he had called for the meeting, Adriana had insisted on footing the bill. It was their company's restaurant, and she didn't think he should pay. They were served the best three-course he had had in Miami. Then they were done with the meal. He looked at her as she told him she had been here because her husband let her.

"Thank my husband for being the perfect gentleman. If not, I'd have to go home to my twins, a messed up house and one heck of an irritating pregnant woman." She told him while pouring herself a glass of white wine. He did the same.

"Irritating, huh?" He asked. "Is she okay?"

"What do you think?"

Jason sighed.

"You've been trying to speak with my mother." Adriana commented dryly. When he nodded she added, "Why?"

"To get her on board, maybe. Let her know I have no intention of soiling her child's future as she insinuated."

Adriana laughed at his choice of words, "Soil? Evan would skew you if she hears this." She sipped her wine, "I'm worried you haven't figured her out by now. Evan and my mother will probably not see eye to eye ever. You, trying to get my mother on board while avoiding her, will not get you any point with her. She wanted to do this. Don't make her regret the decision." she advised him.

"Is she..."

"You should be speaking with her. Not me Mr. Valdez."

"Jason, please."

"Okay, Jason. I can arrange a meeting. Knowing my sister, she wouldn't listen to you right now. She's pissed."

"That bad?" Jason whistled

"Yes. That bad. I came out of courtesy, and of course, I heard you trying to get through to my mother. While I'm not against that, I think you started this with my sister first. Then don't lose sight of that. Together, you can bring mother on board. If..." She raised her hand, "If you get that defiant sister of mine on board first."

"Thank you, Ad."